The Government of Canada has been aware of the municipality's interest in rebuilding the wharf at L'Anse St-Jean since the fire of August 22, 1992. Since that time, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) has been discussing the situation with the municipality.
In 1993/94 and 1994/95, DFO approved expenditures totalling $300K for the pre-engineering studies, and for the plans and specifications for the reconstruction of the wharf. This was done to facilitate the wharf's reconstruction, should funds become available. At that time the government could not make a commitment to proceed with the work.
Public Works and Government Services Canada's recent technical assessment and planning documents indicate that the demolition of the outer end of the wharf and its reconstruction and the renovations to the remaining portion of the wharf will cost an estimated $2 million.
In light of the current climate of fiscal restraint, competing demands for funds to carry out repair and reconstruction projects at federally owned harbours across Canada cannot all be accommodated within the limited budget for the small craft harbours program. Under the current program review, government is seriously questioning whether we can continue to spend diminishing funds or operate improved or reconstructed recreational harbours at the expense of doing essential repairs at commercial fishing harbours. DFO has assigned a higher priority to repair projects at commercial fishing harbours than to recreational harbours and this leaves no funds for large recreational projects. As a consequence, DFO is unable to make a commitment to rebuilding the wharf at L'Anse St-Jean at this time, and it is unlikely that this situation will change in 1995/96.
DFO is prepared to co-operate should other interests provide the funds necessary to reconstruct the wharf.
Question No. 90-